Boston University
College of Fine Arts, Department of Music
MU 201 - Music Theory III
Syllabus
Fall 2006
Instructor: Prof. Deborah Burton
Office Hours: CFA 414A, by appointment
Telephone: (617) 353-5483
email: burtond@bu.edu or deborahburton@compuserve.com
Teaching Assistant: Yun Lee [yunlee.klavier@qmail.com]
Meeting Times and Location: MWTh 9:00, CFA 410
Course Description and Objectives
Music 201 is the third semester of your core sequence in tonal theory and analysis, introducing
techniques of tonicization, modulation and chromatic harmony as evidenced through the study of
representative pieces from various periods of Western art music. Through this study, an
understanding of motive, phrase, period, parallel period, simple, rounded and balanced binary
forms, and ternary and compound ternary forms will also come to light. There will be a
keyboard section in conjunction with the class, which you must attend, and for which there will
be a separate final exam.
Prerequisite
MU102 or placement by examination.
Required Texts
[available at the BU bookstore]
• Kostka, Stefan and Paine, Dorothy. Tonal Harmony, 5th edition (Boston: McGraw-Hill,
2004).
• Kostka, Stefan and Paine, Dorothy. Workbook for Tonal Harmony, 5th edition (Boston:
McGraw-Hill, 2004).
• Turek, Ralph. Analytical Anthology of Music, 2nd edition. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1992).
Course Grade Components
Assignments and Quizzes
Midterm
Final
Keyboard
Attendance
40%
15%
20%
15%
10%
Students must pass each component of the course in order to pass the course itself.
Assignments and Quizzes
All written assignments are due at the beginning of class. Late assignments will go down one
grade for every twenty-four hours the work is late. For example, an A assignment, one day late,
will receive an A-. However, the lowest grade you can receive for handing in a completed
assignment is a D. Therefore, even if your work is very late, you should still hand it in.
Exceptions will be made only with valid written documentation of a conflict.
If you want to hand in non-required written assignments for extra credit, that is fine; they will be
counted as one-half a normal assignment.
Make-up exam/quiz policy
If you have a legitimate excuse for missing an exam, you will be able to take a make-up exam,
the date of which will be mutually agreed upon.
Attendance Policy
Your attendance is required at all class meetings, including keyboard section meetings, and it is
10% of your grade. Excused absences include: (1) illness with a note from a doctor, the day you
return to class, (2) a note for official school business, (3) observance of religious holidays, or (4)
an extenuating family circumstance. If a class is missed, it is your responsibility to find out what
was covered and what homework was assigned.
Conduct
You are expected to abide by the CFA Academic Conduct Code. Cases of suspected misconduct
will be referred to the Dean's Office.
Cellular Phones
All cell phones are to be turned off in class. If your phone rings, you must silence it immediately
and may not answer it during class time. If you are expecting an urgent phone call, please let me
know before class and an exception can be made.
Disabilities
A student with disabilities must register with the Office of Disability Services prior to the
beginning of the first term for which the assistance is being requested. Students will be requested
to provide current appropriate documentation of their disability.
Course Schedule*
wee
k
1.
dates
material
Sept. 6, 7
2.
11,13, 14
3.
18, 20, 21
course introduction, Beethoven's
1
First Symphony, functions: tonic,
predominant, dominant
chapter 16: secondary functions 1, 2
review of dominant 7th inversions
and resolutions, review NCTs
"secondary" vs. "applied"
secondary functions 1- continued, 3
Beethoven 14/2
4.
5.
25, 27, 28
Oct. 2, 4, 5
6.
7.
10, 11, 12
[no class Mon 10/9,
but Monday classes
on Tuesday 10/10]
16, 18, 19
8.
23, 25, 26
9.
30-Nov. 1, 2
10.
6, 8, 9
11.
13, 15, 16
12.
20
[no classes Wed.
11/22, Thurs 11/23]
27, 29, 30
Dec. 4, 6, 7
11
13.
14.
15.
hw
chapter 17: secondary functions 2
chapter 18: modulations using
diatonic common (pivot) chords
minuet/ minuet-trio forms (binary,
rounded binary)
4
5
diminished 7ths, Beethoven
"Pathétique"
review, practice midterm, midterm
exam October 26 in class
chapter 19: some other
modulatory techniques
sequences: descending, ascending
5ths
sequences: descending 3rds,
parallel 10ths, 6ths, 5-6 motions
chapter 21: mode mixture
7
"
review, practice final
review [note: this class may need
to be rescheduled]
6
keyboard work
review of all major/
minor scales, diatonic
harmonies
review dominant
sevenths and
inversions
review leading-tone
diminished sevenths
and inversions
figured bass
modulations
short progressions
with modulations,
improvised binary
forms
progressions with dim
7s and dom 7s
8
figured bass
9
sequences
10
sequences - continued
11
figured bass
12
"
review
keyboard final exam
Fina
l
* course material is subject to change; all alterations will be announced in class.